Ski boot accessory



Aug. 23, 1960 P. B. SHARPE sm BOOT ACCESSORY Filed Aug. 18, 1958 'Fid43.

FLG. 4A

INVENTOR Psi-nu? B.SHARPE;

United States Patent l ce SKI BOOT ACCESSORY Philip B. Sharpe, Rockport,Maine Filed Aug. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 755,549

'5 Claims. (Cl. 28011.14)

The present invention generally relates to a ski binder accessory andmore particularly to a device for preventing snow from packing under theshoes while skiing.

Snow creates a definite problem when it becomes packed under the shoeswhile skiing. This problem is especially prevalent in the heel portionof the shoes and isannoying when skiing, especially on cross-countryskiing when the snow is wet or sticky. Therefore, the primary object ofthe present invention is to provide a resilient pad of foam rubber orthe like for completely filling the space between the shoe and the ski,thereby keeping the snow out of this space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sponge rubberpad for insertion between a ski and a shoe or boot for preventing snowfrom packing therebetween which is simple in construction, easy toinstall and use, lightweight, hardly noticeable by the skier andextremely inexpensive to manufacture.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription of an exemplifying embodiment of this invention, from theappended claims and from the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pads of the present invention inuse;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the pad of the present invention withparts broken away for clarity;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is side elevation of the present invention showing the padcollapsed;

Figure 4a is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along aplane passing along section line 4a4a on Figure 4 illustrating the padin collapsed or compressed condition;

Figure 4b is a sectional View similar to 4a but with the pad extended;and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of another form of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generallydesignates the pad of the present invention which is disposed betweenthe upper surface of a ski 12 and sole 14 and heel 16, having a bindinggroove therein, of a shoe or boot 18 and in conjunction with a binderincluding the usual toe harness 20 or toe strap 22 and a heel strap orcable 24 which engages the heel 16 and extends to the toe harness orstrap with an ankle strap 26 also being provided if desired.

The pad 10 includes a generally triangular block 28 of resilient spongerubber material having a plurality of enlarged holes 30 therein whichform compression voids. The upper surface of the pad is shaped toconform to the sole and heel of the shoe and includes a recess 3-2receiving the heel 16. The lower surface of the block 28 conforms to andis glued to the upper surface of the ski 12 thereby occupying the spacebetween the ski 12 and shoe 18 at all times and allowing normal relativemovement between the ski and shoe since very little resilient feeling isfelt by skier since the block 28 will take some of 2,950,118 PatentedAug. 23, 1960 the jar which occurs when skiing on rough ground or whenjumping. K

In the device as shown in Figure 2, there is a sheet of rubber material34, similar to the material used in rubber gloves, adhesively bonded toor vulcanized to the sides of the block 28 and forming a glove-likemember which resiliently receives the shoe 18 and has a rear flangeportion 36 received between the heel 16 and the cable 24 so that it ispinched into the binding groove, thereby securely retaining the pad inposition. In this form of the inven tion, the glue as designated by 38may be omitted.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 is the same exceptthat the block 28 is provided with a rubber sheet 40 only at the heelend which forms an upstanding fence or flange about an inch high whichis received between the heel 16 and the cable 24 of the ski binding whenthe skis are put on and adjusted.

Figure 5 illustrates a form of the pad which includes an arcuate block40 extending only under the heel 16 and which also includes holes 42 andan upstanding sheet of rubber material 44 forming a flange clampedbetween the heel 16 and cable 24.

The pads may be of various colors and they may be factory installed orinstalled by a person already having a pair of skis. The arrangement,size and location of the compression holes may vary. The action of thepad is clearly shown in Figures 4a and 4b and snow will not be able tooccupy the space or volume between the ski and the shoe since it isalready occupied by the pad.

It is understood that this invention is not confined to the particularembodiment shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, andthat this invention may be carried out in other ways within the scope ofthe appended claims without departing from the spirit of this inventionas it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described isonly one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. A pad for preventing entry of snow between the upper surface of a skiand a shoe mounted thereon, said pad comprising an enlarged block ofcellular resilient material having enlarged compression holesdistributed throughout the volume thereof for facilitating thecompression of the block during relative pivotal movement between theshoe and ski, an upstanding flange member on the rear upper corner ofthe block extending between the grooved surface of the heel of the shoeand the binding cable thereby securing the pad to the shoe with thelower surface thereof engaging the upper surface of the ski.

2. A pad for preventing entry .of snow between the upper surface of aski and a shoe mounted thereon, said pad comprising an enlarged block ofcellular resilient material having enlarged compression holesdistributed throughout the volume thereof for facilitating thecompression of the block during relative pivotal movement between theshoe and ski, an upstanding flange member on the rear upper corner ofthe block extending between the grooved surface of the heel of the shoeand the binding cable thereby securing the pad to the shoe with thelower surface thereof secured to the upper surface of the ski, saidblock being arcuate and conforming in size to the heel, and adhesivemeans securing the lower end of the block to the ski.

3. A pad for preventing entry of snow between the upper surface of a skiand a shoe mounted thereon, said pad comprising an enlarged block ofcellular resilient material having enlarged compression holesdistributed throughout the volume thereof for facilitating thecompression of the block during relative pivotal movement between theshoe and ski,-an upstanding flange member on the rear upper corner ofthe block extending between the grooved surface of the heel of the shoeand the bind- 7 the shoe for securely retaining the pad attached to theshoe.

4. A pad for preventing entry of snow between the upper surface of a skiand a shoe mounted thereon, said pad comprising an enlarged block ofcellular resilient ma terial having enlarged compression holesdistributed throughout the volume thereof for facilitating thecompression of the block during relative pivotal movement between theshoe and ski, an upstanding flange member on the rear upper corner ofthe block extending between the grooved surface of the heel of the shoeand the binding cable thereby securing the pad to the shoe with thelower surface thereof secured to the upper surface of the ski, saidblock being generally triangular in shape with the upper surfaceconforming in shape and size to the sole and heel of the shoe, saidflange member including a glove-like rubber sheeting resilientlyreceiving a major part of the shoe for securely retaining the padattached to the shoe, and adhesive means for securing the lower surfaceof the block to the ski.

5. A pad for preventing entry of foreign material between the uppersurface of a ski and a boot mounted thereon for pivotal movement inrelation thereto during normal use of the skis, said pad comprising ablock of cellular resilient material having a normal shape ofsubstantially triangular configuration to completely fill the of theshoe is pivoted upwardly to its upper limit of movement in relation tothe ski, said pad being substantially compressible so that when the heeland adjacent portion of the sole of the shoe moves downwardly, the shoemay move to a substantially normal position adjacent the upper surfaceof the ski with the compressed pad being disposed between the ski andthe shoe, and means on said pad for engagement with the shoe formaintaining the upper surface of the pad in contact with the heel andsole portion of the shoe during pivotal movement of the shoe in relationto the ski whereby the resiliency of the ma terial from which the pad isconstructed will cause the pad to expand as the rear portion of the shoeswings upwardly thereby continuously filling the space between the uppersurface of the ski and the shoe for preventing entry of snow or otherforeign material, the upper surface of the pad being provided with arecess for receiving the heel, said means on the pad including anupstanding flange at the rear thereof and a sheath of rubber-likematerial connected to the forward portion thereof whereby the flangeengages the rear surface of the heel and the sheath encloses a majorportion of the upper of the shoe whereby the sheath and the cablebinding engaging the heel with the flange disposed between the heel andthe cable binding will securely fix the pad in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,237,998 Neuhauser Apr. 8, 1941 2,330,731 Oestrich Sept. 28, 19432,458,602 Johnson Ian. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 204,543 Switzerland Aug.1, 1939

